Step-by-step, photo illustrated recipe for a delicious Southern style Baked Picnic Ham. It’s not just for the holidays any longer. We’re baking up a delicious ham from a Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic with a quick and easy recipe. Studded with cloves, topped with a brown sugar glaze and sliced pineapple as an option, your family is sure to love this any time of the year, but it’s just perfect for the holidays.

…

Baked Picnic Ham Recipe

…

Originally posted: October 29, 2012

Growing up at home during my younger years, a picnic ham was pretty much reserved for a holiday meal. Sometimes we’d also have one for a Sunday dinner when Mama was having the preacher and his family over, or maybe when we had some other special occasion to celebrate. The point is, we just didn’t have them but a couple of times a year.

We weren’t major farmers but we did raise some pigs and chickens when I was a youngster, even a goat or two. We also had a good sized garden each year to supply the family with food, and mama would always can up plenty of vegetables and other things for the cold winter months. As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up poor but I never knew it at the time. Mama could always come up with a meal of some sort and, it wasn’t until years later that I started paying attention to some of the stories of my older brother and sister that I really realized that times were tough back then.

Hog killing time was around Thanksgiving each year if the weather was cold enough. That meant we’d eat a little more of those “expensive” cuts of pork than we did the rest of the year. Daddy would make his homemade sausage, start the curing process on some hams and pork side meat and, every once in awhile, one of those pigs would end up on a homemade pit created especially for turning a pig into barbecue.

I’ve been trying to collect some old family photos of “hog killing” time as it was called. I’ve not had a great deal of success with it but I know mama had some stuffed away somewhere because I remember seeing them. Her pictures ended up at my sisters house and my sister is no longer with us so I haven’t seen them in many years. Maybe one day though.

I was recently gifted with a Smoked Pork Picnic Shoulder so I’m delighted to share it’s preparation with you here on Taste of Southern. Pork Shoulders will probably be on sale around this time of year so be sure to watch out for one. They were .99 cent a pound on the label for this one which was a pretty good price for any type of pork these days. Even fat back sells for a higher price than that but, that’s a whole different story that I’ll save for later.

Baked Picnic Ham makes a great main dish for any meal and any leftovers make great sandwiches for several days afterwards. Just give me a couple of slices of Old Fashioned style white bread and some Duke’s Mayonnaise and I’m good to go. Ready to give it a try yourself? OK then….Let’s Get Cooking!

…

Baked Picnic Ham: You only need a few ingredients to make this great Southern meal. Please note that we are using a Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic as it’s officially called on this package. It’s smoked for some added flavor but this one needs to be fully cooked before serving.

…

I’m using a 13×9 pan that is 2 inches deep. To make for easier cleanup later, line the pan with some heavy duty aluminum foil. And, for the record, the shoulder weighed in just under 9lbs so this pan was plenty large for it to bake in.

Preheat the oven to 350º

…

Just place the whole thing inside the pan. The label says this shoulder has some “Water Added” so we’ll keep those juices in the pan. Just cut a slit in the plastic wrapping, remove it from all around the shoulder and toss it. Of course, the wrapper usually has some instructions on baking the shoulder so you might want to take a look at those for reference.

…

You’ll also want to remove any other packaging materials that might be attached. This one had a padded material that covered over the end of the bone. This helps prevent the bone from ripping the plastic wrap during shipping and handling. Sometimes you might also find a package of some type of glaze already made so look for anything else carefully before you proceed to bake the shoulder.

…

You should also find some cheesecloth type netting wrapped around the shoulder. We’re going to leave this on during the first part of the baking process to help hold the shape of the shoulder together. I hope you can see it in this photo. I tried to lift up one corner of the netting for the photo but it’s kind of hard to see.

…

Flip the shoulder over to place the skin and fat side UP. This picture also shows the netting that wraps around the shoulder a little better. Just center it in the pan.

…

Now, add one cup of water to the pan.

…

Take a large piece of the aluminum foil and place it over the pan. Don’t wrap it up tightly, just leave it lightly covered but do make sure to crimp it down all around the edges to close it up good. Place this on the middle rack of your oven which should already be warmed up to 350º.

NOTE: Check the cooking times listed on the package of the pork shoulder you have. Cooking time will be about 18-22 minutes per pound of weight for each shoulder but as always, that will vary depending on your oven.

Let the picnic bake for about 3/4ths of the time needed to fully bake it. For me, that was about 2 hours. I didn’t do anything to it during those first two hours of baking but we’re going to remove it after it’s baked about 3/4th of the way to prep it for it’s final baking time.

…

After the picnic has baked about 2 hours, according to it’s size, go ahead and mix up the ingredients to make the GLAZE we’ll be using to brush all across the top. Start by adding the brown sugar to a small bowl.

…

Add the yellow mustard.

…

Open up the can of Sliced Pineapple and remove about 1/4th cup of the juice. Add a little of the juice at a time to the brown sugar and mustard to make a slightly thick syrup. Stir it together well.

…

Carefully remove the picnic shoulder from the oven. It’s going to be hot and it has some juices so try not to spill those. Sit it on a towel or rack and remove the aluminum foil.

…

Use some kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut away the netting from all around the pork shoulder. It’s going to be hot so be very careful. Yes, it will probably stick in some places on the bottom. The netting easily pulls away from the outer layer of skin on top but gets a little sticky on the bottom side sometimes. Just do your best but, remove ALL of the netting. You may have to use a knife to keep from pulling away a lot of meat with the netting but you can do it. Again, it’s HOT so use caution.

…

This part is even HOTTER. Take a very sharp knife and slip it up under the layer of skin. Grab the skin with tongs if you have them then, carefully cut away the skin and fat from the meat portion. It will normally peel up pretty easily at this point. Cut away as much of the fat as you can as you go along.

…

Set the skin aside. Any pieces of meat that were attached can be removed and used later to season up some vegetables. Most of the meat on the right was pulled away when I tried to remove the netting from the bottom of the shoulder. The skin and fat usually pulls away pretty clean without removing much meat.

…

Trim away any fat that may be left attached to the top of the shoulder. It doesn’t have to be perfect but you don’t want to leave any large portions of fat on the meat.

…

Take a sharp knife and score across the shoulder. Each cut should only be about 1/2 inch deep and about 1 inch or so apart.

…

Score the meat again in the opposite direction. Now, you could get really creative here and make the cuts so the scored sections are more of a diamond shape…but I didn’t get that happy this time around. It’s pretty when you do that though.

…

I think this is more for decoration and the final presentation than for flavor. Thus, you could do it or not, whichever you select. Dump a bunch of the Whole Cloves in one hand and then carefully push one whole clove into each of the scored sections. Some folks choose to put them at the intersection of the scored points, it’s just a matter of preference.

There’s only one real problem with using the Whole Cloves from what I’ve found. You have to go back and remove them before you slice it up to serve it. Nobody wants to bite into a clove while they’re eating. Still, it’s gonna make it “purty.” Go for it.

…

After you’ve added all four hundred of the cloves, pour about HALF of the Glaze mixture over the top. You can brush it on if you’re more artistically inclined…or…just pour it all over the top. OK…it didn’t really take 400 cloves…but it might have felt like it. Smile.

…

Place one of the slices of pineapple right in the center of the whole picnic. You’ll need some toothpicks to hold them in place. I broke a toothpick in half and placed two picks in each slice to secure it in place. Don’t push them in to far, just like the whole cloves, you’re going to have to remove them later. Toothpicks are for AFTER the meal….not PART of the meal. You can thank me later for that little bit of advice.

…

This is the point where I realized that I didn’t have any Cherries to stick in the center of each slice of pineapple. What WAS I thinking to not get those? Oh well, my mistake. Please forgive me. Some folks place a bright red cherry in the hole of each slice of Pineapple. Of course, I figure if I have to remove the toothpicks in order to remove the pineapple slices…and…I have to remove the Whole Cloves before I can slice it…why bother with Cherries. I’m a pretty ‘basic needs” kind of guy I think.

…

Add the remainder of the glaze to the top of the pineapple slices.

DO NOT COVER the shoulder this time, just place it back in the oven to finish baking.

REDUCE the oven temperature to 250º.

…

You’ll want to keep a close watch on the shoulder as it cooks for the remainder of the time. You don’t want to burn the pineapple slices but you do want to make sure the shoulder cooks all the way through. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat but do not press it against the bone. I cooked mine to an internal temperature of just above 160º.

The United States Department of Agriculture has recently lowered the safe cooking temperature for pork down to 145 degrees. It had been at an internal temperature of 160º in the past for leaner cuts of pork. However, ground pork with more fat content should still be cooked to 160 degrees for safety. You can read all about it by clicking here: United States Department of Agriculture .

…

Those guidelines also say to let the meat rest for 3 minutes before carving and serving. That’s not going to be a problem with this one because it will take longer than that to remove the toothpicks and the Whole Cloves. Here, I’ve removed the Pineapple Slices. Place them on a small plate and save them for serving later.

OK….I SHOULD have removed the Whole Cloves at this point. Only, I didn’t think about it. I highly suggest that YOU however, go ahead and remove them now…unless you think they look really pretty and want your family or guests to see all the hard work you did to prepare this picnic ham. Choice is yours.

…

I decided I wanted to add a little more Glaze to this picnic so you can either follow the next few steps or not. That really would depend on just how well you like the brown sugar coating on your ham. I find it to be absolutely delicious to get that little taste of sweetness along with the saltiness of the picnic shoulder when you bite into it.

I haven’t mentioned it yet but picnic shoulders that have been smoked are a bit on the salty side. That’s why you aren’t seeing any addition of salt in this recipe. It has plenty already. It’s just got something to do with the smoking and curing process.

Should you decide to add a bit more Glaze, which I think will also add to the beauty of the final presentation, then brush a little of the yellow mustard all over the top of the shoulder.

…

Sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar over the mustard. You can really get into it by patting the sugar down into the mustard or just lightly sprinkle it over the top. Just get a good even coating of it all over the picnic. Place it back in the oven still uncovered, set the oven to BROIL and let it bake for about 10 more minutes.

Set the oven to BROIL, bake for 10 more minutes.

…

Now…doesn’t that look absolutely delicious. See how much of a difference that little extra mustard and brown sugar, along with broiling it another 10 minutes makes. You just don’t want to let the sugar begin to burn. It would be a shame to get this far along and burn the Glaze during that final 10 minutes. Again, oven temperatures will vary so keep a close eye on it during this time.

…

Are you hungry yet? I know my photography skills need a lot of work and improvement but this just makes me hungry to look at it.

I’m going to give you a few steps further on how to CARVE your Baked Picnic Ham once it’s ready to serve. Of course, by this time, the meat has had it’s needed three minutes to rest. OK, it’s actually had about 15 minutes by this time. I needed to cut out a few slices for the final presentation so here’s what I did.

Starting on the smaller end of the meat, slightly angle your knife and cut down to the bone. We’re going to basically cut a V-shape in it.

…

Move the knife and angle it in the opposite direction, slice it again, down to the bone.

…

Remove the wedge shape you’ve cut and set it aside.

…

Use a fork to help hold the meat, then make several angled slices at the thickness you desire, moving on back towards the larger end of the picnic ham. Cut them down to the bone on each slice.

…

Run the knife along the bottom of each slice and the top of the bone to cut the slices free. Then, remove each slice and place on your serving platter.

…

Serve the Baked Picnic Ham up while it’s warm…and….Enjoy!!!

PS: Don’t forget those baked slices of Pineapple that you have. Uh…seems I might have left them out of the final serving. They’re too good not to enjoy them. This ham goes great with about any vegetables you want to serve. And, don’t forget about those sandwiches the next day should you have any leftovers.

PSS: When you’ve cleaned the bone, wrap it in foil and pop it in the freezer. It’s a good “soup bone” to season your next pot of soup with. Waste not, want not right? Enjoy!!!

PSSS: Those little black spots in the top of each slice may or may not be Whole Cloves left in by mistake. Maybe I just thought it would make for a better presentation, just like actually having a slice or two of Pineapple in the picture would have added some more color. It was still mighty good though. I about couldn’t stop eating on it. Just saying!

Step-by-step, photo illustrated recipe for a delicious Southern style Baked Picnic Ham. It's not just for the holidays any longer. We're baking up a delicious ham from a Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic with a quick and easy recipe. Studded with cloves, topped with a brown sugar glaze and sliced pineapple as an option, your family is sure to love this any time of the year but, it's just perfect for the holidays.

About 45 minutes before the pork should be done, remove the pan from the oven and remove foil.

Reduce the oven heat to 250º.

Carefully cut away the netting from around the meat. It may stick in some places so be careful.

Using tongs and a knife, carefully remove the layer of skin and fat from the meat. Set aside.

Use a sharp knife and score the meat about every one inch and about ½ inch deep. Crosscut again.

If using Cloves, place one clove in each of the squares made from the cuts.

Drizzle half of the glaze over the cooked meat.

Use toothpicks to attach the pineapple slices to the meat and drizzle remaining glaze over the top.

Return the meat to the oven, uncovered and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat reaches a temperature of 170º.

Extra Glaze:

I decided to add some extra glaze to my ham, it's not necessary, just a matter of preference.

Remove the toothpicks, pineapple and cloves.

Spread a thin layer of mustard all over the baked shoulder.

Sprinkle an even coating of brown sugar on top of that.

Set your oven to BROIL.

Return the shoulder, uncovered, to the oven and Broil for about 10 minutes longer or, until it's a nice brown color. Sugar should be melted but don't let it burn. Oven temperatures will vary so, keep a close eye on it during this final step.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-15 minutes before carving.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Any leftovers will make great sandwiches.
Save the bone once you've picked it clean. Wrap it in foil and store in the freezer. It's a great way to season up a big old pot of soup.

Your Comments: Thank you for taking the time to view our recipes. As you can imagine, it takes a bit of time and effort to post our step-by-step instructions for each one but, we do it with an appreciation and love for our Southern heritage. I do hope you’ll give our recipes a try and I also hope you’ll take just a minute or two of your time to leave us a comment. We’re always glad to know that you stopped by and the only way we having of knowing of your visit, is when you leave us a comment. Please note that all comments are moderated. That means, I read each and every single one of them before they are approved for our website. We are totally family friendly and intend to keep it that way. It may take us a day or so to view and approve your comments but when we do, we try to reply to as many of them as we possibly can. So, leave us a comment, then come back again for our response. We’d also appreciate it if you would tell your family and friends about Taste of Southern and our home on the Internet. Please come by for a visit again real soon. You are always welcome here.

We picked up pork picnic roast at the store because they were blowing them out at the store. My daughter, who has had one too many hams with cinnamon sauce, requested honey mustard sauce on this. So I searched pork picnic shoulder roast or something similar and your link popped up. It was the pictures that got me hooked…I hadn’t been all to sure what to do with the netting and skin layer. Mine wasn’t as pretty as yours, but it made for an amazing Sunday lunch. My family wants me to hit the store tomorrow and pick up a few for the freezer. At around $13 Canadian, it will serve our family of four for two meals, which makes it super cheap and delicious protein! Thank you for the recipe!

Hi Sonya, Greetings to Fort Macleod all the way from North Carolina. I’m delighted to learn that you tried our recipe and it turned out well for you. Please tell your daughter Thank You for me for wanting to try something different. Smile. Your comments and compliments are greatly appreciated. I do hope you’ll visit with us often and try some of our other recipes. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Mine didn’t turn out as pretty as yours, but still very tasty! I had a hard time removing the fat after removing the skin layer but that might be because I try to be too perfect. If it helps your readers, look for “Smoked – Ready to Cook” (that’s the terminology I found on mine). This is the second recipe of yours I have made (also made the lovely pulled pork) – and it won’t be the last! God Bless you and yours over this Christmas season!

Thanks for the recipe. I used to buy picnic hams and in recent years have been buying the spiral sliced hams. Since reading this recipe I’m going to buy a picnic ham when I go to the grocery store, and fix it for Christmas dinner. Even though I have been cooking over 60 years, I always look for ways to improve the taste of what I serve.

As always, a great recipe! I bought a whole smoked pork shoulder as a last-minute addition to my Thanksgiving menu. I was confused as to how to cook it, thinking I bought the wrong thing, and not being able to find many clear recipes online. Lo and behold, here you are with another delicious, detailed recipe. The pork was a hit, and this is the second time you’ve helped make my dinner a success. I used your “Pulled Pork BBQ in the Oven” recipe for my sister’s wedding reception 2 years ago, and people are still talking about it. Thanks so much; I’ll be back for more!!

I kept looking and looking for a recipe for a picnic ham, yet none caught my eye, thankfully I came across your great picture so I clicked on it! This will be my first time doing a picnic ham, I usually make a spiral glazed ham. I’m allergic to mustard, so I will substitute it for some honey with a little bit of red sweet wine. Thank you for your great recipe, and even though you say your photography is not that good, I beg to differ; it was that great picture that landed me on your recipe, you beat all those famous chefs and their websites! I loved your step by step instructions with pictures. I hope this thanksgiving dinner will come out great. God bless you and your family and may you have a blessed thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Rosario Munoz

Hi Steve,I’ve made this recipe for my family several times now….they absolutely LOVE it. It’s a rainy day here in New Brunswick,CanAda and my house is full of this wonderful aroma!!! It’s pure comfort food

Hi Steve!
Greetings from the other side of Canada, where Spring’s in full swing! Yesterday, I made your amazing Baked Picnic Ham for Easter – I’m so happy to have discovered this recipe and your website! Thank you so much for all your care & attention to detail! What a bonus to have your step-by-step pictures in addition to your instructions (which were a delight to read, as well as clear & informative!)I look forward to your newsletter, & promise I’ll be back to your website, and I’ll be spreading the word about you & your recipes!

I read your recipe for Baked Picnic Ham and want to make it for Easter. However, your ingredients list calls for “9 lb average Smoked Pork Picnic Shoulder, smoked but not cooked.” How can it be “smoked” and not “cooked?” I posed the question to my butcher and he looked at me as if he thought I was befuddled. Thanks.

Hi Gene, Thank you for the question. This particular brand of picnic shoulder was listed as smoked and “Ready to cook.” You might find something different in another brand at your grocer. Some meats are “cold smoked,” which gives them flavor but doesn’t cook them. Think of bacon as an example. It can be hickory smoked, but still needs to be fully cooked before eating. Ask your butcher about smoked bacon and see what he says about that one. (Smile) Instead of just reheating, this particular cut of meat needs to be cooked to a temp of 165F degrees to be fully cooked. I’m sorry for the confusion, and I hope this helps. Thank you for your visits and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

It’s smoked but not cooked yet in the sense that it’s not ready-to-eat. I grew up on the west coast but had never encountered this type of picnic ham before I moved to the east coast. “Smoked pork shoulder picnic roast” is what I believe was on mine

Hello Steve from Michigan. Hope you are doing well. I cannot wait to try your picnic ham recipe! My family always did our holiday hams in the same way and I love your double glazing……
I would/will too.
I enjoy each and every newsletter you post. Am grateful to have a N. Carolina connection. It’s always an enjoyable read and look forward to them.
Hope you have a Blessed Easter and see you on the web real soon.
Sincerely, Annalee

Hi Steve, Greetings from the Hoosier state. I tried your recipe for Picnic Ham and it was so moist and delicious! You said you couldn’t taste the mustard and you couldn’t!!! I would like to try it on a whole ham or spiral ham, what do think about that? Your instructions and photos were super!! Saved the bone for your Soup Bean recipe. THANK YOU!!!!

So, a friend recommended this, but this does NOT work on a precooked spiral ham, tried that once, some time ago, and it put us off ham for holidays, so not again. The spiral does not hold, it dries out badly and comes apart very weird. Looks really strange when you unwrap it so be warned. Am trying this on a smoked picnic, hope this works better – but also doing a “test run” before the holidays so wish me luck!

Thank you for this recipe. Your explanation and pictures are so helpful.

Just a few notes from my experiences with this recipe.

Before cooking, I loosen the netting around the meaty (not skin) side of the ham. I know the netting is to keep the ham from falling apart. But, the ham in your recipe and that I used for this recipe are pretty small and really don’t need it. Loosen the netting, especially where you can see it digs tightly into the meat. Usually, this is on the bottom and end. It will stop a lot of meat loss when you remove the netting before glazing.

We have diabetics in the family and others don’t like the fruit topping on hams. So, I left the skin on and cut thru the skin to score the diamond shapes on the meat. I just made sure to get plenty of glaze and cloves past the skin and onto the meat.

The only other adjustment I made was to the glaze. I used Splenda Brown Sugar instead of straight brown sugar – same measurement. And to replace the canned pineapple juice. I used the drippings in the ham pan. No one knew the difference and I got so many complements. I’m so glad to have this recipe in my collection.

Wow! I may be really late and all but I found this recipe online and I am so glad I did! It was very easy to follow along. I’ve never cooked ham before nor did I know how to but this recipe was wonderful! It tasted delicious and I’m definitely going to bookmark this recipe so I can keep making hams. Thank you so so so much!

Hi Steve
Baie-d’Urfe, Quebec here, The local store, Maxi, had a sale on picnic hams and we bought a 3.5lb one. Should have bought 2 as were at half price, $6CDN, but alas no room to keep it until ready to cook.
Followed your instructions to the T and came out perfectly, mouth watering great.
Made mashed potatoes with creamed carrots to go with it and used some of the the drippings over the potatoes. Recommend this recipe to anyone who is looking how to cook a picnic ham. Many thanks Steve. BTW am 71 and love to cook.

Hi Steve,
Salutations from North Carolina!! I was asked to cook the ham for our family Easter gathering this year and agreed with hesitation. After searching the web and finding your recipe, the fully cooked ham I prepared using your step by step instructions is beautiful!!! I hope it is as good and tasty as it looks! Thanks for your help!!!!

Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I prepared it this evening and it was a hit with everyone at the table. I used Gulden’s Spicy Brown mustard in place of yellow mustard.One of my guests referred to it as ‘Virginia Ham’ and said I was welcome to make it again.
Much appreciated

Fantastic recipe! Whenever I tell my husband we are having a pork roast he usually cringes, I found your recipe and wonderfully illustrated instructions… the only thing I changed was dijon mustard, He went back for seconds!! He loved it!! Thank you!!

Hi there and Happy New Year from Ontario! I really have no idea about the difference between a picnic ham and others, but I found this recipe when I Googled looking for one. I picked up a picnic ham because it seemed to be on sale… and I was shopping last minute. Just wanted to make a nice meal for my family today and let my wife rest. Don’t cook often at all. My four kids LOVED it! They kept asking for more. Thank you. It was a great day and meal as a family. Blessing to you and your family!

Hi Steve,
I bought a smoked pork shoulder picnic to cook for dinner New Year’s Day with no clue how to do it. Searched the internet and your recipe came up first. Didn’t think to just check your website first since I love all the recipes you send via your newsletter! Anyway, your recipe looks wonderful and as usual, your step by step directions and pictures are great. I can’t wait to cook mine as I know it will be fabulous. Thank you for all you do for us with not only the recipes but your wonderful stories and way of writing. I feel as if I know you!
Thanks,
Sandra

Dear Steve,
I came across this recipe Christmas morning while making you Pecan Pie. I had all the ingredients. Also had a half of an already smoked ham, so I thought what the heck? I’m using two of your recipes already (String Beans with Bacon and the Pecan Pie), so why not make it a Southern Christmas Steve Gordon style! And we did. And when we sat down and it came time for the Blessing, we asked that you be blessed for your contributions, as is our custom when we have been given and used wonderful recipes from great chefs like you, or Julia, or Guida, or my aunts, or grandmother, or whomever. Once Mom, my husband and I tasted your ham with that beautiful glaze, you were given a champagne toast! It’s excellent. Very easy. There’s gravy left over for a bit of sopping. Thank you!
As a postscript (and feel free to edit this out), your newsletter arrived this afternoon and you mentioned you were ill and missed Christmas. My husband Gary, my Mom Virginia and I all send good wishes that you may be well very soon. I love recipes because they come from love. I can see Julia cooking Paul Boeff Bourgingon or Salade Niçoise and the two of them sharing her creation and then Julia sharing it with us. With my aunts I know how many times we sat at a table laden with the very same dishes that those recipes allow me to share with my family and friends. You always tell a story of sharing the meal your teaching us to make with your Mama, brother, sister, family or friends. In every recipe you share these special times with all of us who do not know you and probably will never meet you. Thank you for your gift! Never got to tell Mrs. Child, Grandma or two of the aunts that, so I thought I best tell you.

Hi Robin, Thank you for your kind comments. I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern, and that you’ve been trying our recipes. It’s my pleasure to share them and it’s comments like yours that make it all worthwhile. I greatly appreciate it.

I do appreciate your visits, and trust you will visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Thanks SO MUCH for this absolutely perfect recipe.
This summer I purchased two of these smoked picnic roasts to smoke. It wasn’t until I got them home that I realized they were already smoked.
I saved them and decided to cook one for Christmas (today). This was the only one I could find based on how I searched on Google. I had the exact same Smithfield brand roast and it was about same size.
Anyhow the instructions were so easy to follow. It took me longer to cook but it turned out so much better than I expected and my family just raved about it!!!

This was my first stab at cooking a ham. Your picture-by-picture instructions explained everything beautifully. I wouldn’t have known to remove the skin if I hadn’t come here first — glad I did! Thanks to you, the ham was a hit: rich, sweet and salty.

Thank you for the great pictures! I never knew to keep the netting and skin on this type of ham for the first part! I was trying to poke cloves through the skin! Ouch! This will be much easier, I’m sure.

this is delicious, I couldn’t find the shoulder ham, I just used a regular big ham with bones, it took a lot longer to cook, but turned out very good, everyone loved it, especially my daughter. She kept asking for it! =P Thanks for writing it in details and easy to follow.

Hi…I see your recipe is for an uncooked ham. I have looked and looked for Thanksgiving and only came up with a smoked cooked shoulder. What should I do re cooking time and the glaze-y idea? My husband thinks your recipe looks like his Mom’s so now I’m under the gun to perform. Help! It is made by SunnyValley and offers no instruction whatsoever even after checking their website. thanks, Candyce

Hi Candyce, You can still glaze the shoulder, just as you would an uncooked one. Then, bake it long enough to bring it up to temperature and heat it through. You should be good to go with that. I hope this helps, and much success with your Thanksgiving meal. I appreciate your visits and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Thanks for this recipe and the detailed photos. This was so DELICIOUS and I followed each step accordingly. Let me tell you this was a big difference from the first picnic ham I made! I had no idea how to cook one properly and now it’s part of living since I’m newly moved to Charleston.
Thank you again for your effort in posting this fine meal recipe.
Joanne R.

Thank you so much for this! I got a smoked picnic ham on deep deep discount a few months ago, and tossed it in the freezer. I’m having family over tomorrow for a duel birthday party, and was racking my brains for what to do. I suddenly remember the ham, but wasn’t sure if I could cook it like a regular ham. Why yes! Yes I can, with a few changes. This was exactly the info I needed. Thanks a million for posting this. I’m sure it will turn out great as this is what I normally do.

This is the best recipe that I have found on the internet so far!! I’ve looked on Pinterest, and I can only find an awful sounding Coca Cola Ham. My picnic (unsmoked) is in the oven now! I am lowering temps to cook longer because it has not been smoked, but not changing your glaze!! Make me hungry looking at the pictures!! Thanks!

Hello Steve,
Thank you for your recipe for Baked Picnic Ham. I’ve just cleaned up the very little leftovers from our Easter meal. I too am in Canada, The middle in Manitoba! We still have snow here! My ham turned out lovely even though it took forever to cook. It was only 5.25 pounds. I would like to make this recipe again. I have tried other recipes but this was the best by far :). Thanks again,
Val
Happy Easter!

Hi Val, Greetings to Manitoba from North Carolina. I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern, and that you were willing to try our Baked Picnic Ham recipe. I’m delighted to hear that it turned out well for you, and it sounds like everyone must have enjoyed it.

I hope that snow clears up soon and you can finally enjoy some Spring like weather. I appreciate your comments and your visit, and I do hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Susan, I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern and that you’re trying our Baked Picnic Ham recipe for Easter. I do hope it turns out well for you, and that you and the family enjoy it. I appreciate your comments and your visit. Be sure to stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Wow that was one of the best Instructionals I have read I will be using your recipce this Easter it is so much like my Mothers I really appreciate the effort you have put in to this It is so complete I needed the slicing part as I have always had trouble with that part

Hi Larry, It’s my pleasure to share the recipes. I really hope the Baked Picnic Ham turns out great for you and that you and all the family enjoy it for Easter. I appreciate your visit and do hope that you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I’m from Canada couldn’t be much farther from Southern! But growing up my mom would bake a picnic shoulder for Easter. It’s been so long since I’ve had this but want to make for my boys. I’m so happy to find your step by step instructions and love your photos! I’m so excited to make this. I’m having friends from Romania over for Easter too, hope mine comes out half as delicious as your looks.

Hi Lianna, Greetings to Canada all the way from North Carolina. I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern and that you’re going to try our Picnic Ham Recipe. I do believe you’ll enjoy it. Just be sure to come back and let me know how it turns out for you. I hope you and yours have a safe and happy Easter. I do appreciate your visit and hope that you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Just found your recipe while searching and will be trying it out for Sunday dinner 2moro! I just bought a couple of smoked picnics on sale for 79 cent/lb a couple of wks ago @ my local market and popped them in the freezer for future use! Your recipe looks YUMMY to say the least and I haven’t tried cooking one this way before. I’m thinking a side of green beans I canned last yr with some of the pieces that fall off (and a bit of the fat of course!), fried corn, mashed potatoes, and some homemade spoon rolls…..and a nice peach cobbler for dessert! Thank you for the step by step instruction and I look 4ward to sharing this site/recipe with others!

Checking in from Virginia (originally from Buffalo, NY) – Oh how wonderful this was today! Got 5 star reviews from the entire family. So flavorful and I really liked the ease of preparation. Served with baby red potatoes with garlic and rosemary ~ thank you for the wonderful photos, directions and presentation. It made all the difference in choosing to prepare this ham! Heidi

Hi Heidi, Thank You so much for your nice compliments and comments about our Baked Picnic Ham Recipe. I’m thankful you’ve found Taste of Southern, and that you were willing to give our recipe a try. It’s always great to hear that our recipe turns out good for someone else. Perhaps your comments will encourage another one of our readers to try the recipe as well.

I appreciate your visit and do hope you’ll get the chance to try another recipe or two. Please stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I see I fit right in, as most of your fans are Canadian and I’m in Edmonton. I’ve made hams for years & am famous for them, but this is my first time doing a smoked pork shoulder. So glad your recipe doesn’t take the 7 hours SOME of the Internet recipes do! You’re a lifesaver. By the way, we can get hams and pork shoulders year round, as I could when I lived in Wisconsin, but when I visited my daughter in Ottawa and she asked me to make a ham, the stores said they only stock such items at Christmas and Easter! We ended up having to buy a hunk from a deli.
I’m looking forward to trying your other recipes, but for today, I needed this.

So I leave all the liquid in the bottom of the pan when I put the meat back in the oven to glaze? You don’t say, but it looks like it stays in the pan, then evaporates or gets absorbed by the meat. Is that right?
Thank you!

Thank you for your reply. I made your recipe since I hadn’t done anything called smoked pork shoulder & had always boiled the ham before baking.
I ignored your carving recommendations & gave everyone the lovely outside glazed pieces. Then after supper I made more diamonds in the meat that remained & put more glaze on & baked it again. The leftovers now look like a whole new ham!

Hello Steve! Finally had to post a comment, as I have now made your ham at least 3 times with great success! Everyone wants to come over for supper whenever they hear I am cooking the ham! I agree that your beautiful layout and step by step photos are what really caught my eye, but as did the ingredients involved! Definitely a recipe that has made its way into the binder for good! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 Will be pulling some small pieces and the bone out today for a soup! Best Regards! From northern Alberta!

Hi Samantha, Greetings to Alberta all the way from North Carolina. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your comments. The fact that you’ve made it 3 times already will hopefully encourage others to give it a try. Keep up the good work and I hope you’ll enjoy the soup as well. I hope you’ll stop by and visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve: Hello from Woodstock, Ontario. This was my first time ever trying the smoked pork picnic shoulder and I followed your instructions and it was just perfect. Everyone loved it….My son complained that there was none of the lovely crispy glaze on the leftovers. Next time I’ll make extra glaze. I also tried the mashed potatoes with mayo….we don’t have Dukes up here but I used great value mayo and I’ll quote my wife…the best mashed potatoes period. I am going to try some of the other recipes…especially the banana pudding!,,and the baked beans. Thanks again eh!

Hi Pete, Greetings to Woodstock all the way from North Carolina. I’m glad you found the Baked Picnic Ham Recipe and decided to try it. Very happy to hear that the family enjoyed it. Thank you for trying the Mashed Potatoes as well. I’m just sorry you don’t have any Duke’s Mayonnaise up your way, it’s really good. Still, I’m sure yours turned out well and hopefully your comments will encourage someone else to try it. I’ll be looking forward to hearing how the other recipes turn out for you. Thank you again for your comments and I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Christine, You’re very welcome. It doesn’t do any good to post them unless someone is willing to give it a try. I’m happy that you were one of those, and that the Picnic Ham turned out good for you. Do visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Stephany, Greetings to Panama from North Carolina, especially on this Christmas Day. I think you’ll enjoy the recipe and hopefully you gave it a try over the holidays. Let me know how it turns out for you. I appreciate your comments and hope you’ll stop by for another visit… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hello Steve, I’m from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Tonight I made your Baked Picnic Ham Recipe. OMG it was the BEST ham I have ever tasted. I also made the Classic Green Bean casserole recipe too…Both were a great hit!! Thank-You for sharing your recipes. The next recipe that I will be trying is your Salisbury steak… Keep up the great work!!! Kerri

Hi Kerri, Greetings to Winnipeg from North Carolina. I’m very thankful that you found our recipe for the Baked Ham and delighted to hear that you liked it. You just keep up cooking a few more of our recipes and we’ll make you an Honorary Southerner. How’s that?

Thank you for sharing your comments and I do hope you’ll try some of our other recipes. I’ll be looking for you to stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Sam from Edmonton, Canada here. Tried out this recipe tonight and it was great. I’ve made regular old pork picnics before but this is the first time I’ve tried a glaze and it was fantastic! This is going into my recipe box for good. The combination of sour mustard, sweet sugar, and salty pork really worked well. Thanks for sharing this one!

Hi Sam, Greetings to Edmonton from North Carolina. I’m thankful you found our site and that you were able to try the Baked Picnic Ham recipe. I’m happy to hear that you liked it. I do hope you’ll consider trying some of our other recipes and that you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve – just read thru your recipe for baked ham and it left me starving for some! Picnics are on sale here for $1.29 so I may just purchase one. And I am going to point my niece to your website. She is just setting up house for herself and will appreciate the step by step instructions you provide. I pretty much cook from memory but not everyone has the opportunity to learn good Southern cooking from their Mama.
Keep up the good work!

Hi Pat, That’s a pretty good price on that picnic… better go for it while it’s available. I do hope your niece will take the time to visit our site and try some of the recipes. Tell her to say Hello if she does.

Thank you for your comments and for passing our information along to others in your family. I greatly appreciate the support and hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I am from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. I had a picnic ham in the fridge and wanted to do something different. I usually just do a boiled dinner. I googled “baked picnic ham” and yours came up. The pictures were great, so easy to follow, so I baked my first picnic ham today and it turned out great. I was scared that it would be very salty, but it was not salty at all. The glaze was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

Hi Carol, Greetings from North Carolina all the way up to Canada. I’m thankful you found Taste of Southern when you ran that recipe search. I’m happy to hear that you were willing to try out the recipe and delighted to know that it turned out well for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your results. Maybe it will encourage someone else to give the recipe a try. Got a good chowder recipe YOU would like to share? Thanks again for your visit and I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I have never used the mustard before but I am about to try it. This sounds really delicious and I know my husband will love it. Today is Fathers Day and baked ham and homemade Mac and Cheese are his favorite.

Hi Kelly, I hope the recipe turned out well for you. Lucky man to have a good home cooked meal on Fathers Day. I know he enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing your comments, I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. I hope you’ll try some of our other recipes and I look forward to you stopping by for another visit… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve,
I just put my smoked picnic ham in the oven now. I am preparing it exactly the way you have cooked yours minus the cloves as I am not a fan of them either whole or ground. I do remember grandma having me put the whole cloves in the ham before the pineapple slices for Easter dinner but I will omit them this time. I will post in about 3 hours how awesome it turns out…..if its anything like the pictures….well lets just say the smell is amazing and my taste buds are salivating!!!

Hi Toby, Thank you for your comments. I’m glad to hear you’re giving the Baked Picnic Ham Recipe a try. I certainly hope it turns out good for you and I’ll be waiting for your updated report on that. You’ve got MY mouth watering now. I do hope you’ll stop by for a visit again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Steve;
Loved the article and your pixs are just great. I have to admit man to man, I was snickering all the way through it – like myself, you don’t worry much about pretty, just GET ER DONE!
May I suggest substituting some of the brown sugar for Canadian maple syrup; it adds a certain something extra to the flavor of the glaze…
When it comes time to make split pea soup, I use an American Can pressure cooker to speed up the process. I also like to add a smoked turkey leg [with some meat removed for adding after cooking] along with the ham bone – it really adds a nice flavor to the soup.
Now I’m off to the store to buy some maraschino cherries, thanks for the reminder!
Cheers from BC, Canada – eh.
John

Hi John, Greetings from North Carolina. Thank you for your comments and for taking the time to share them with me. Maybe one day I can save up enough money to actually purchase some Canadian Maple Syrup. I’m afraid my .99cent box of Brown Sugar is a lot easier to come by than those $30.00 bottles of Maple Syrup I’ve seen advertised on the Internet. I’m sure its very delicious though. I still have the ham bone in the freezer. I see it all the time but have yet to decide what to do with it. I hope the Ham turns out very well for you and I’ll look for a report on it. Thanks again. I do hope you’ll stop by for a visit with us again, real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

i make my sauce for ham with
1 c.brown sugar
3 tbs horshradish
1 tbs orange juice or lemon juice
1 tbs spicy mustard,dijon,honey,really any decent kind.
1/2 tsp ground cloves- i hate hate hate whole cloves.
add in a saucepan bring to boil and 1/2 hr before removing from oven,i pour this over the ham.
you can adjust this for taste or bigger servings.
i have had people who own restaurants ask for this simple recipe.
you can have yellow mustard,wont even have it in my home.
i usually have extra “sauce” to put on the table.it hardens fast,so i keep it warm.

Hi Viginia, Thank you for sharing your recipe for the sauce. I’ll have to give it a try next time I bake up a ham, it sounds really good. So, I guess you really don’t like the Whole Cloves and Yellow Mustard huh? What’s a good Hot Dog without some Yellow Mustard? Ha. I appreciate your comments and you taking the time to share your recipe with me. I hope you’ll stop by for a visit again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Hi Steve, Another visitor from the Canada, Montreal this time. Got my picnic ham at a great price yesterday and came across your web site a short time later. As a professional photographer, having done some food shoots, I must say you did a bang on job with your step by step shoot. With two major things going on (photo & cooking) I could see why the pineapple fell to the wayside. Picnic ham was a regular happening in our household. Unfortunately my mom would simply boil it and serve as is. We usually had a homemade prepared horseradish condiment along with the ham. That being our European background to food. Luckily my sister took cooking in High School and introduced the glaze part of the recipe. At a later date we replaced the brown sugar with pure Maple Syrup. Having worked in kitchens and restaurants, I always keep my eyes and ears open to different ways or ingredients. What I’m taking away this time, is the deeper cutting of the ham before putting on the glaze. I didn’t cut off the skin and fat, plus my cuts not deep enough for the glaze to infuse in to the meat. Thank you for setting me straight. I just put the glaze on as I write this. It is before noon and this ham will be served as what might be call a left over this evening. After I sample it by my self in an hour.
I am looking forward to checking other recipes on your site. Curious if you have an old time southern fried chicken that I could try. With a southern gravy to go with.
All the best to you and yours as well as a greetings to the people who left comments. Their experience with a recipe is just as important as the recipe itself. Makes me feel like I’m with a like mind group in a fine cooking class.
AG

Hi Andrew, Greetings way up in Canada… all the way from North Carolina. Its good to hear from you. Thank you for sharing your comments and memories about the ham. That pure Maple Syrup sounds really good but its a bit expensive down our way. I hope by now you’ve enjoyed your ham and that it turned out well for you. Thank you also for your comments about the photos. I’ve always had an interest in photography but was discouraged at a very young age. I’ve always had a somewhat nervous hand and in my youth, most all of the pictures I tried to take were blurred. I’m still learning and enjoying the trip though. I just can’t seem to get those final shots of the food to turn out like I’d like them too. I’ll keep trying and maybe one day I’ll get the hang of it. I appreciate the request for some Southern Fried Chicken. Maybe we can do that sometime soon. Thank you for taking the time to write. I do hope you’ll stop by for a visit again real soon. Perhaps you can teach me a photo trick or two. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Steve, thanks so much for this recipe! I printed off the recipe and prepared it yesterday evening, the results were perfectly delicious!
My husband LOVED the crunchy brown sugar coating and being the carver he snapped up the end pieces for himself and had eaten them before the rest of us had a chance.
We will delve into the leftovers tonight, can’t wait!
Again, thanks so much for the time that you took to prepare this post it has to be the quintessential how-to for baking ham on the internet. Bravo!

Hi Marilyn, Thank you for your comments. I’m very glad to hear that you tried the recipe and that you liked it. It’s comments like yours that make posting our recipes all worthwhile. I’m afraid I can’t help you in regards to your husband eating all the crunchy good parts though. Ha! That was funny, thanks for sharing it. I checked out your site and find it “interesting.” I really did like your Vintage Christmas Spice Cabinet, that was very creative, you’re very talented. I do hope you’ll stop by and visit with us again. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

I am so happy to have found your recipe! My mother always made a smoked picnic for New Years (and usually for Easter). She let me put in the cloves when I was little. I think picnics have so much more flavor than the more expensive hams and I love the crusty bits. This is our first Christmas without my mom, who died in February. I think your recipe will help me make a picnic pretty much like hers (except I am going to skip the pineapple and do something with orange juice concentrate, and I may use Dijon for some of the mustard). Thanks again, and happy new year! P.S. I had to write the all-important final broiling part into the printed instructions, so maybe you would want to add it to the printable recipe as an option at 23.5?

Hi Melinda, Thank you so much for your comments. I’m so sorry to hear of the passing of your mom. I know Christmas wasn’t easy for you but, I hope you have lots of good memories that you can carry with you of time with your mom. I’m sure she’d be proud to know that you want to carry on her Smoked Picnic tradition for the holidays. That orange juice will make a fine glaze as well. As for that fancy Dijon mustard…well…it’s pretty good too, can’t argue with that. We just didn’t have that when I was growing up. Thank you also for telling me about the broiling instructions, I’m glad you caught that. I’m on it already. I do hope you try and like the recipe. Please stop by again real soon and let me know how it turns out for you. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Dear Steve, The Christmas ham turned out great and I am shopping now for the Easter ham, planning to use your instructions again! I hadn’t thought of it, but I bet my mom used dry mustard, not the prepared Dijon. I will make that change. Happy Easter! Melinda

Hi Melinda. It’s great to know you’re still enjoying one of our recipes. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your ham no matter what mustard you might use. A little variation is good sometimes. Happy Easter to you and yours as well, it’s a very special time around our house. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

I just came across your recipe and it sounds AMAZING! I am going to try it out for New Year’s Day (tomorrow). I do have a question though. I was considering cooking my ham tonight so that I could use the bone for my Black Eyed Peas tomorrow. How would you recommend reheating this ham so we could enjoy it warm tomorrow? Thank you!

Welcome Desiree, I’m glad you found us and that you’re going to try our recipe. Sounds like you plan to slice the ham off the bone tonight. You’ll need to let it cool of course before you refrigerate it. I’d suggest that you just place the slices in a baking dish, wrap it with foil and refrigerate it. Then, you can just pop the whole thing in the oven tomorrow at around 350 degrees and warm it back up. It shouldn’t take long to do that. Just don’t let it continue to bake again as it should already be done. I hope you enjoy it. Best of luck with those Black Eyed Peas as well. Thanks for stopping by. I do hope you’ll visit with us again and, from Taste of Southern…to you and yours…..we wish you a very Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and Blessed 2013. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Dear Steve,
I just had to write and tell you that your step-by-step directions were fantastic! The use of photographs at each step make this a no fail recipe.
I had looked at many different recipes and I settled on yours BECAUSE of the excellent directions and photographs. Our picnic ham was delicious and we can’t wait to make some other meals with the tasty leftovers.
Regards,
Nancy Ruppert

Hi Nancy, What a nice letter, I do appreciate it very much. I’m glad you decided to try our recipe and very glad to know that it turned out good for you. I still have some leftovers in my freezer that I pull out every other week or so. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your comments. It’s the only way we have of knowing that someone visits our site and/or tries a recipe. I do hope you’ll visit again soon and please tell your friends about us…OK? I also wish YOU and your family a very Merry Christmas. I hope it’s your best one ever. Thanks again. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

Well, the pea soup was yummy! I still have a bag of ham in the fridge so I think I may put it in the freezer for another day.
The next recipe that I will be trying is your Salisbury steak. I will be sure to let you know how it turns out.
Again, thanks for the wonderful site.

Hi Nancy, Greetings to Ontario from North Carolina. I got a comment just the other day from Brenden in Edomonton, Alberta, Canada. Don’t you just love the Internets? That is just so cool. Glad to hear the soup turned out so well. Of course, that was all your doing and none of mine. Ha! I’m planning on cooking up a pot of Homemade Vegetable Soup real soon so maybe I’ll use my ham bone for that, thanks for the suggestion. Today is a bit rainy but only about 63 degrees. I’ll wait a few days for cooler weather on the soup I think. You should like the Salisbury Steak Recipe and I’ll wait to hear how that turns out for you OK. Thank you again for your comments, they are greatly appreciated. I do hope you’ll stop by again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve

I am from Saskatchewan Steve, just a hop skip and a jump from Edmonton. I am going to be cooking up this recipe this weekend. I have it all bookmarked and printed out ready to rumble! Thank you so much for this recipe. Being from Canada, in this frigid cold this winter, it will be a beautiful meal on a cold wintery day!

Hi Krista, Greetings from North Carolina. I just checked your local area weather. -13º F IS a bit on the cold side. Brrrrrr. We’re looking for highs in the mid-forties for the upcoming weekend but we are on Alert at the moment for possible ice and maybe some slight snow for Friday evening. I’m ready for Spring…how about you? I’m glad you found us and I’ll be anxious to hear how your ham turns out when you give it a try. I hope you enjoy it. Keep warm and do stop by and visit with us again real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve